When teachers and administrators decide that a student is too disruptive or dangerous to participate productively in regular school life, disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs) are one of the remedies. While these alternative programs serve a useful purpose, they are too often used as a first resort, when in fact they should always be a last resort.
The Cedar Hill Independent School Distrist (CHISD) operates S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy, one part of which serves students assigned to its DAEP. This may be the school your student is placed in should they fail to avoid a DAEP assignment, and placement in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy can come with significant pitfalls—from social estrangement, to a substandard academic experience, as well as a psychological and emotional toll on the student.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team fights hard to help students avoid DAEP placement in favor of less extreme measures. We are proven advocates for students like yours. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to find out how we will advocate for your student and prevent the harm that too often comes with relocation to a DAEP.
Triggers for DAEP Placement in Cedar Hill
Note: Most of the information provided here comes from the CHISD Student Code of Conduct, which you can find here.
When determining if a student in Cedar Hill will be removed from their school and placed in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy (or any other DAEP), both state law and local procedures apply.
Texas law explains that certain offenses trigger mandatory placement in DAEP, which can occur if the student:
- Commits an assault as defined by Texas law
- Makes terroristic threats or other false alarms
- Engages in certain drug-related offenses
- Possesses certain volatile chemicals in a dangerous manner
- Engages in indecent exposure or certain other lewd actions
- Harasses a school employee as defined by Texas Law
- Commits aggravated robbery
- Engages in any other act that qualifies for mandatory placement
- Sexual abuse (though in some cases, the student may be transferred to another school before DAEP placement occurs)
Even if it seems that your student is subject to mandatory placement, never assume the case is closed. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team may find that there is insufficient evidence to prove that your student committed the offense. We could also find that, in fact, the offense a student commits does not warrant mandatory placement in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy.
Offenses That Could Lead to S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy, But Are Not Mandatory Triggers for DAEP Placement
As the CHISD Student Code of Conduct notes, other offenses could lead to DAEP placement, but not necessarily. In such cases, the campus behavior coordinator or other official in charge of the decision may enact a discretionary placement, meaning they decide that placing the student in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy is necessary.
These offenses include:
- Bullying that leads to serious adverse outcomes for the victim (including self-harm)
- Assault with threat of imminent bodily injury
- Gang activity
- Threatening to release, or releasing, sensitive visual material of a minor
- Criminal mischief
- Inciting violence against another student
- Certain off-campus behavior, including that which could qualify as a felony (even if the student is not charged)
Certain other offenses may lead to placement in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy if the campus behavior coordinator or their superiors deem DAEP placement necessary.
The Executive Director of Student Services must approve all DAEP placements to S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy, so they may be a person we deal with as we advocate for your student.
What the DAEP Looks Like for Students in Cedar Hill
Parents, guardians, and students must understand the reality of DAEP placement. Only then can you truly absorb the severity of being removed from a school and placed in an alternative learning environment.
Located at 1533 High Pointe Lane, S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy's DAEP aims to “create and maintain an environment where learners, teachers, administrators, support staff, and the community become a cohesive unit for the enrichment and redirection of student behavior…”. Some of the program's stated priorities include:
- Allowing students to complete their coursework at their own pace
- Helping students learn from prior mistakes
- Teaching students right from wrong
- Help students adopt a positive attitude towards school
While these goals seem noble, and S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy's administrators surely have good intentions, the truth is that DAEP programs do not offer the quality of education that regular schools do. The focus on students' behavior often comes at the cost of academic rigor, and that is just one of several pitfalls that come with DAEP placement.
A student may be relegated to S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy if they are reassigned from:
- Collegiate Prep Elementary
- High Pointe Elementary
- Highlands Elementary
- Lake Ridge Elementary
- Plummer Elementary
- Waterford Oaks Elementary
- Bessie Coleman Middle
- W.S. Permenter Middle
- Cedar Hill Collegiate Academy
- Cedar Hill High School
- Cedar Hill Collegiate High School
We need to further underscore why, for students at these schools, the best option is typically to remain where they are.
Why It's in Most Students' Interest to Avoid Placement in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy
Being placed in a DAEP like S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy can fundamentally alter the course of a student's life. We urge parents, guardians, and students to let us pursue a less severe resolution than DAEP placement because:
- The social effects of being removed from one's school can be immensely harmful, possibly even exacerbating any behavioral issues that have led to this juncture
- Placement in a DAEP may affect the student's future collegiate and professional prospects, which may prevent them from achieving goals and cause them to suffer a lesser quality of life
- Students who are assigned to DAEP may be more likely to drop out of the school system, which we know increases their likelihood of financial hardship, involvement in criminal activity, and other undesirable outcomes
Students may find it immensely difficult to cope with the stigma of being removed from their school, social network, and daily routine. We have seen the toll that DAEP placement can take on vulnerable young people, which is why we have fought for many years to help students in Texas avoid DAEP placement.
How the DAEP Placement Process Typically Unfolds in Cedar Hill
At the Lento Law Firm, we make a concerted effort to empower students and their guardians. Information can be powerful, and you deserve to know what may lie ahead for yourself and your student. That said, the DAEP placement (or avoidance) sequence typically entails:
- A campus behavior coordinator identifies behavior that could lead to placement in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy. Once the coordinator has identified such an offense, they must notify the student's parent or guardian “promptly” by phone or in person. In most cases, the student is removed from the classroom as an interim measure.
- A conference takes place within three days of the student's removal: The campus behavior coordinator, parent or guardian, student, and possibly a teacher gather to discuss the reason for removal and the potential for assignment to S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy. This should be a two-way conversation in which the student and their parent or guardian can voice their concerns and address the issue as they see fit.
- The campus behavior coordinator weighs mitigating factors: If a student is disabled, homeless, was acting in self-defense, or has other mitigating factors on their side, these factors should inform the decision of whether to assign them to S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy.
- The campus behavior coordinator may move forward with a placement order: If, after the conference, the coordinator believes placement in S.T.R.I.V.E. Academy is warranted, they will write a placement order and provide a copy to the affected student and their guardian. The Executive Director of Student Services determines for how long the student should be assigned to the DAEP.
- The parent or guardian can appeal: Cedar Hill Independent School District handles appeals in accordance with local grievance policies.
This is a compact timeline, as there may only be a matter of days between each step in the sequence. This fact underscores the importance of hiring the Lento Law Firm to begin fighting for your student's rights right away.
How the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team Will Fight for the Best Outcome for Your Student
When a student is facing the tarnishing of their reputation and upheaval of their life, they need all the help they can get. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team will help your student by:
- Communicating with their school administrators, establishing the facts about why your student is facing potential discipline
- Accompanying you and your student to all meetings when permitted to do so
- Identifying all potential resolutions that would leave your student in a better position than DAEP placement
- Leading all necessary appeals, which are bound by short deadlines and can be the means by which we resolve the disciplinary matter for your student
We will also provide many intangible benefits. Having our guidance and experience on your side will give you much-needed assurance at a time that—we are certain—is stressful for both you and your student.
Is Your Student Facing Expulsion or Placement in a Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP)? The Lento Law Firm Can Help.
DAEPs are just one of several ways that Texas school districts (including Cedar Hill) address student disciplinary issues. Other potential responses are:
- Expulsion, which is a step beyond placement in DAEP and can be extremely damaging to a student's reputation, well-being, and future prospects
- Placement in a Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP), which is a joint effort between county juvenile boards and school districts. These alternative education settings are for students who have been expelled and represent a sort of hybrid between traditional education and the juvenile justice system.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team helps students. Whether yours is facing DAEP placement, expulsion, placement in a JJAEP, or another adverse outcome, let us help. Each of these outcomes can be immensely damaging in both the short and long term, and we will urgently pursue a better solution that all parties are satisfied with.
The Lento Law Firm Prioritizes Student Defense. Trust Us to Lead Your Student's Defense.
When a student is facing an outcome as harmful as DAEP placement, settling for a billboard attorney should not be an option. The Lento Law Firm is a force in the field of student defense, and you should retain us to represent your student because:
- We have an office in Dallas: You deserve an attorney and firm that is wholly committed to protecting your student. Our dedication to your student's cause starts with in-person representation. Our office in Dallas serves as a convenient base for your student's defense, and we will be able to come to Cedar Hill for all case-related appointments.
- Our focus on student defense pays dividends: Our attention is not divided among countless practice areas. Our focus is student defense.
- Our services are customized to the student's needs and circumstances: Each student facing DAEP placement faces unique circumstances. We will personalize our approach to your student's unique circumstances.
The Lento Law Firm is the team to rely on when a student's present and future are at stake.
Call the Lento Law Firm Today About the Benefits of Having an Experienced Advocate on Your Student's Side
We understand how pressing disciplinary issues are. The DAEP placement process is likely already underway, and there is no time to spare. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online. Our team is always available, and we are eager to provide you with the relief that only capable, compassionate legal advocacy can deliver.
